A number of government agencies met on September 20 and 21, 2012 in response to an executive order issued by President Obama on January 18, 2011. The order called for improvements to the nation's oil and gas regulatory system to encourage predictability, lower uncertainty, and employ the most advanced and least cumbersome tools to meet regulations.

The agencies included the Department of Labor (DOL), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), and other stakeholders. Members from these agencies submitted ideas on how to implement performance-based regulatory models within the U.S. oil and gas industry to increase safety and environmental protection.

OSHA stated the purpose of the meeting was "to gather information from experts and stakeholders to help inform the consideration of future applications of performance-based regulatory approaches in the oil and gas sector."

The meeting took place at the College of the Mainland Learning Resource Center in Texas City, Texas.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), approximately 435,000 workers in the oil and gas extraction industry face many hazards, including struck by tools or equipment, caught or compressed in tools or moving machinery, and falls to lower levels. Help ensure workers are protected from these hazards by providing training and the appropriate safety products, such as hard hats, safety glasses, work gloves, and fall protection.